It's Been a While - Staind (2001)

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[2000-2004 Best Songs]
Billboard Top 100, 2001, #14                                                                   

This ageless tune is about a man at war with his demons, trying to deal with addiction and the trouble he causes in his own life and the lives around him, the regret of losing the girl he loves, and the glimmer of hope he has about pulling it all back together and making it work. It's especially meaningful that the song neither has its protagonist succeed nor fail (and a little disappointing the way the video chooses for him to fail).

It's reassuring to still hear genuine Rock-n-Roll: a big drum beat, an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar, a booming, powerful chorus. It's Been a While follows a classic formula in the hard rock genre, but it still sounds modern - think The Eagles meet Nirvana. Just as important is this great lyric - here's a sample:

It's been a while since I could hold my head up high
And it's been a while since I first saw you
And it's been a while since I could stand on my own two feet again 
And it's been a while since I could call you

And everything I can remember 
As f**ked up as it all may seem
The consequences that I've rendered
I stretched myself beyond my means